German-born Hannes Bareiter is the executive chef and owner of tītī, an award-winning restaurant located above the waves of St. Clair beach in Dunedin.
Bareiter found his calling in the kitchen when he was just 17 years old.
“I really wanted to be in an environment where I was able to be hands-on and creative all the time.”
After realising traditional schooling was not for him, Bareiter pursued an apprenticeship and master’s degree in culinary arts. He worked in various hospitality environments, including retirement homes, catering companies, and hotels to Michelin star restaurants.
At tītī, their cuisine draws inspiration from the oceans and land all around the globe and depends heavily on the seasons, availability, affordability of produce, and current trends.
tītī loves to entertain their guests with their creativity. The menu changes every three weeks, so they constantly work on new dishes and cooking techniques. Bareiter explained that they often play with one ingredient or cooking method for a few weeks to see what is possible.
“An example might be dehydrating anything from kimchi, gherkins, carrots skins to chocolate mousse or mandarin peel. Or playing with savoury and sweet-savoury sorbets and ice creams like a bloody mary, parsnip-miso, and beetroot-rooibos,” he said. “There isn’t anything too crazy that we wouldn’t try.”
One of the biggest challenges the kitchen team encounters daily is dietary requirements.
To overcome this issue, they have transformed many recipes to be suitable for vegans and have banned peanuts from the kitchen. Bareiter added that they always have a gluten-free alternative and stay away from any products that may contain hidden gluten or shellfish.
Hospitality has been challenging but also very rewarding for Bareiter.
“People often mistake the industry to be a chore-like routine that is not very glamorous, but if you have the right balance, it’s a lot of fun,” he said.
“My biggest takeaway from working in hospitality is, don’t let the bad days ruin all those that are rewarding. It is such a great environment to be creative and social in, something you might not get in every job.”
For people planning to start their journey in hospitality, he recommended that they find a workplace where they can constantly learn and improve their skills with a supportive team.
He also recommended travelling the world to see different hospitality environments and cultures to find the best fit.
The hospitality industry is among the hardest hit by COVID.
Due to the rules and regulations that have arisen with the pandemic, Bareiter has found finding qualified employees or people willing to learn and stick through the grim parts has continued to be a big challenge. Even keeping on good staff has become increasingly difficult.
In the future, Bareiter said he aims to improve his pastry skills and create an outstanding work environment for tītī’s employees. “With great work/life balance and room to grow and make a good living.”
